Once an energy surplus country today it faces a circular debt of Rs 5.725 trillion, in addition to the power shortfall of Rs 2.703 trillion. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has unsustainable and unaffordable gas and power tariffs which are out of reach of its citizens, resulting in financial strains leading all the way to bankruptcy.

After the discovery of huge Natural Gas deposits at Sui in the year 1952 it was the start of a new era of clean and readily available clean fuel. At 12 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet) it was considered as one of the largest finds of its time.

Today the Islamic republic has a large gas transmission and distribution network of the world, designed, built, and maintained by indigenous engineering know-how, which is spread over thousands of kilometres of underground pipelines. Due to mismanagement and waste the resource was consumed much ahead of its life. It should have lasted till 2052 (100 years) but was unfortunately blown away by 2002 (50 years).

The power sector went through a similar cycle of rip-off after unbundling of WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) in the decade of the nineties.

While a new entity PEPCO (Pakistan Electric Power Company) was created to manage thermal power, only hydel power generation and building of dams remained with the authority. Both failed to perform their effective role. Neither dams were built,........

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